Maria Beatrice d'Este facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maria Beatrice d'Este |
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| Archduchess of Austria | |||||
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| Duchess of Massa | |||||
| Reign | 29 December 1790 - 29 June 1797 30 May 1814 - 14 November 1829 |
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| Born | 7 April 1750 Ducal Palace of Modena |
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| Died | 14 November 1829 (aged 79) Vienna |
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| Spouse | Archduke Ferdinand of Austria | ||||
| Issue | Maria Teresa, Queen of Sardinia Maria Leopoldina, Electress of Bavaria Francis IV, Duke of Modena Archduke Maximilian Joseph Archduke Karl, Archbishop of Esztergom Maria Ludovika, Empress of Austria |
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| House | House of Este | ||||
| Father | Ercole III of Modena | ||||
| Mother | Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina | ||||
Maria Beatrice d’Este (born April 7, 1750 – died November 14, 1829) was a very important princess. She was the only child of the Duke of Modena and the Duchess of Massa and Carrara. This meant she was the heir to two different duchies!
She married Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, who was the son of the powerful Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. This marriage helped Austria gain more influence in the Italian states. Maria Beatrice was the Duchess of Massa and Carrara in her own right. She was also an Archduchess of Austria because of her marriage. Together, she and her husband started a new royal family line called the "House of Austria-Este".
Early Life
Maria Beatrice was born in the Ducal Palace of Modena. She was the only daughter of Ercole III of Modena and Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina. Her mother was the ruling Duchess of Carrara and Massa.
Three years after Maria Beatrice was born, her mother had a son. Sadly, he died when he was only five months old. Her parents did not have a happy marriage and later separated. This meant it was very unlikely they would have another son. Because of this, Maria Beatrice became the recognized heir to four different duchies.
Her Marriage
Since Maria Beatrice was the heir to four duchies, she was a very desirable person to marry. She would bring a lot of land and power to her husband's family.
In 1753, it was planned that she would marry Archduke Leopold of Austria. He was a younger son of Empress Maria Theresa. However, plans changed. Leopold became the heir to the Holy Roman Empire, which meant he needed to marry someone else. So, Maria Beatrice was instead engaged to Leopold's brother, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria.
Their marriage plans began in 1754. They finally married in Milan on October 15, 1771. The famous composer Mozart even performed music for some of their wedding celebrations!
Becoming a Duchess
When her mother passed away in 1790, Maria Beatrice officially became the Duchess of Massa and the Princess of Carrara. She ruled these lands herself.
However, the French army later conquered her lands in Italy. After this, she spent most of her life in Austria. She left the day-to-day ruling of her duchies to other people.
After their marriage, Maria Beatrice and Ferdinand lived in Modena. Then they moved to Milan, where Maria Beatrice gave birth to most of her ten children. Since the Duchy of Modena did not allow women to inherit the throne, Maria Beatrice's rights to that duchy passed to her son when her father died in 1803.
Through her marriage, the House of Austria-Este was created. This was a new branch of the Habsburg-Lorraine royal family. This new family line ruled Modena between 1814 and 1859. When Maria Beatrice died in her palace in Vienna in 1829, the Duchies of Massa and Carrara were added to the Duchy of Modena. Her son then received all of these lands.
Her Children
Maria Beatrice and Archduke Ferdinand had ten children:
- Archduke Joseph Francis (1772-1772) died very young.
- Archduchess Maria Theresa (1773-1832) married Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia. They had children.
- Archduchess Josepha (1775-1777) died very young.
- Archduchess Maria Leopoldine (1776-1848) married Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria. She later remarried and had children.
- Francis IV of Modena (1779-1846) married Maria Beatrice of Savoy. They had children.
- Archduke Ferdinand Charles Joseph (1781-1850) never married.
- Archduke Maximilian Joseph (1782-1863) never married.
- Archduchess Maria Antonia (1784-1786) died very young.
- Archduke Karl Ambrosius (1785-1809) never married.
- Archduchess Maria Ludovika (1787-1816) married Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor. They did not have children.
Titles
Maria Beatrice held several important titles throughout her life:
- April 7, 1750 - October 15, 1771: Her Highness Princess Maria Beatrice
- October 15, 1771 - December 29, 1790: Her Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Beatrice of Austria
- December 29, 1790 - June 29, 1797: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Massa, Archduchess of Austria
- June 29, 1797 - May 30, 1814: Her Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Beatrice of Austria
- May 30, 1814 - November 14, 1829: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Massa, Archduchess of Austria
Images for kids
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Alfonso IV d'Este, Duke of Modena, Mary's father, in a portrait by Justus Sustermans.
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James, Duke of York (King James II from 1685), in a portrait by Sir Peter Lely.
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Mary of Modena in the year of her husband's accession, 1685. Painting by Willem Wissing.
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Queen Mary with her son, James Francis Edward, by Benedetto Gennari the Younger.
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Mary II of England in a painting by Sir Peter Lely
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James Francis Edward Stuart, Mary of Modena's only surviving son, in a portrait by Antonio David.
See also
In Spanish: María de Módena para niños
